Allardyce prepared for busy summer

04 May 2014 01:01

West Ham will turn their attention to how they can kick on next season after victory over Tottenham ensured survival for Sam Allardyce's side.

This has been a turbulent campaign for the east Londoners, who have had to deal with injuries to major players as well as several testing runs of form.

The latest saw them approach Saturday's match with Tottenham on the back of four straight defeats, heaping the pressure on manager Allardyce.

However, a 2-0 win helped lift some of the gloom as West Ham beat Spurs for an unprecedented third time in a single season, sealing safety with a match to spare.

There will be no time for them to rest on their laurels, though, with Allardyce already looking at improvements for their third season back in the Barclays Premier League.

"Some preparations are in place without being secured, particularly pre-season," the West Ham boss said.

"Players' contracts now will be discussed between myself and owners as quickly as possible.

"We will talk to the players and then it is recruitment time - what can we find, who can we find and how can we make the squad possible?

"That is the ultimate goal for me in the summer months.

"I am never not busy in the transfer window - don't worry about that.

"It is probably the only time I like social media like emails and Skype. You don't have to be in your office like the old days, you can do it while you are sat in the sun and communicate between everybody.

"When needed you can come back into the club and meet whoever you need to meet and talk to whoever you need to talk to and hopefully finalise as many deals as quickly as we can.

"I say that every year, but we will probably be waiting for players until the end of August, but as long as (we) can get them in the end and they are the right quality that will be fine."

West Ham could also be boosted next season by a wonderful talent already on their books. Ravel Morrison shone for Allardyce's side early in the season, only for his playing time to dry up, which saw him step down to the Championship to join QPR on loan.

The 21-year-old still has a key role to play in the Hoops' play-off push, but was at Upton Park on Saturday to see a Harry Kane own goal and Stewart Downing free-kick secure a comfortable win.

"He is available for QPR's play-offs. We did the loan deal with (QPR manager) Harry (Redknapp) and obviously he has changed the team an awful lot to rest his key players for the first play-offs," Allardyce said on why Morrison was at the Hammers game rather than QPR's 3-2 win at Barnsley.

"If Ravel does a good job he will be back with us next year and he will have a big pre-season with us and see where we will go from there."

While Allardyce is looking to next season, it seems counterpart Tim Sherwood can only look as far as ahead Tottenham's season finale against Aston Villa next Sunday.

Despite boasting a fine win percentage since succeeding Andre Villas-Boas in December, chairman Daniel Levy is reportedly set to call time on his 18-month deal as head coach in the summer.

One bookmaker has Sherwood at 1/16 to have left Tottenham by the start of next season, with Frank de Boer and Mauricio Pochettino strongly linked to the post.

"The players owe it to the fans to send them away over the summer with a little bit of optimism for next year," Sherwood said.

"It is our (aim) to get three points at home to Aston Villa, with our aim to entertain and to win the game."